Featured Photo: The Church of Christ gathers on the Lord’s Day morning (October 5, 2025). Pictured are some of the early arrivals!
Our second Lord’s Day of this trip dawned as a beautiful autumn day! The trees are changing colors and the brisk morning’s air is refreshing. It is especially encouraging to stand at the front door and see the Church bus arrive and brethren unload. You see affectionate greetings all around and others are busily involved in making sure the worship is set and all know what their duty is. Usually Vova, Pasha and Gif are running around doing this job. Mykola is reviewing the hymns he will lead in worship.
Vova started the assembly with warm greetings and a prayer. He welcomed two new visitors who had just been moved from Zaporozhe. Vova heard of their plight and they are living with him and Natasha until more permanent dwellings can be found.
This hospitality shown by individual Christians is one of the positives that Perry and I have noticed—since Gif and Perry arrived there is a more open hospitality and personal involvement of members reaching out to others. Previously that attitude seemed lacking and was only given if some pay was involved. I was recently told of a family from the east (Kramatorsk) who had come in the early days of the war. They had asked about staying in the Church building but were turned down. Should that situation occur now, there would be brethren quickly acting to provide whatever was needed to welcome and make these comfortable. This is a HUGE positive development!
Perry preached and did his usual fine job. Gif is in the middle of a study of the Parables of Jesus. He has assigned me and Perry specific parables. This reminds me of another positive—Gif has the church IN the Bible! The Bible studies are truly Bible studies. Thankfully there are no opinions or crazy theories being taught. People are not ignored when they ask a Bible question. Sometimes Gif says the Bible discussions last a lengthy time because of the great interest and participation.
In the assembly Sunday we not only had the two visitors but Maria was back. She has been out of town with relatives and not feeling well and has missed a good number of assemblies.
In visiting last week, I was talking about the need to follow only the Bible in our religious beliefs and practices. The conversation turned to one group that forbids wearing any rings (even wedding bands), necklaces, hair barrettes, ribbons, etc. This applies to men and women.
One of those involved in the conversation had an interesting story. When he and his wife married, they really shook up the church they were attending.
First, they married without asking the Church Bishops if they were compatible. It seems the custom is when the man decides he wants to marry, he goes to the Bishop. The Bishop has a list of approved brides. He then calls the woman who is first on the list and tells her that this man wants to marry. If she agrees then they marry. If she says no, then the Bishop goes to the next on the list until he finds a woman who agrees to marry this man. Well this couple did not consult the Church Bishops—they decided they loved each other and wanted to marry one another. And they did!
Second, following the ceremony the man told the woman to get a ring. And she did. When she appeared in the next church gathering the immediate attention was on the fact that this woman had a wedding ring and was wearing it in public!
The groom’s father was one of the Bishops. He pulled the son over and said, “Do you know she’s wearing a ring?” The son said he was aware of that and that he had told her to do it.
This caused the Church Bishops to call a hasty meeting and call the son before them. The meeting’s narrative was interesting. The son asked where in the Bible does it say a woman cannot wear a wedding ring? He then asked, “Is the sin the ring or the gold?” The Bishops muttered and squirmed. Again, the question was pressed—“Is the sin the ring or the gold?” Finally, one Bishop mumbled “the gold.” The snare was sprung!
Now understand at that time in the USSR it was the fad for people to get gold teeth. Some would have a good tooth pulled just so they could get a gold tooth in its place. The custom of using gold in teeth continues. The son said, “If gold is the sin, then what about your gold teeth?” After stammering and stuttering, in a huff the Bishops dismissed the son saying they did not want to discuss it any more.
In another conversation regarding women’s head coverings and wearing pants it was reported there was an uproar of frightening noise. One of the men stood up and said, “What does the Bible say about this?”
When people decide the Bible’s guidelines do not matter, they will believe and follow any “smoothed-tongue” teacher. These follow feelings and not faith! A failure to follow the Bible’s commands leads one to compromise ALL aspects of religion and they ARE NOT the Church of the Bible!
I am reminded of God’s caution to Moses regarding the exclusiveness that results when one follows only the Bible. “You shall not follow the crowd in doing evil” (Exodus 23:2).
We continue to be very busy here on all fronts! And…this is made possible by your generosity in supporting our efforts in collecting, shipping and funding various actions that are often unseen! THANK YOU!
Pray for our success in seeing and taking advantage of the “open doors” that are before us!
John L. Kachelman, Jr, Ukraine Missions, Dalraida Church of Christ, Montgomery, AL 36109
